Harlan County U.S.A. (1976)

This film documents the coal miners' strike against the Brookside Mine of the Eastover Mining Company in Harlan County, Kentucky in June, 1973. Eastovers refusal to sign a contract (when the miners joined with the United Mine Workers of America) led to the strike, which lasted more than a year and included violent battles between gun-toting company thugs/scabs and the picketing miners and their supportive women-folk. Director Barbara Kopple puts the strike into perspective by giving us some background on the historical plight of the miners and some history of the UMWA. 103 min. Written by Martin Lewison <lewison+@pitt.edu>

Director: Barbara Kopple

IMDB 8.3

Trailer

Vernon, Florida (1981)

Conducting interviews with the denizens of a small backwoods town, documentarian Errol Morris mixes it up with such quirky residents as a diehard wild-turkey hunter, an elderly couple who vacationed at a nuclear test site, a worm farmer, and a preacher giving a sermon on the definition of the word "therefore." 55 min.

Director: Errol Morris

IMDB 7.4

The "therefore" sermon.

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)

Two documentary filmmakers chronicle their time in Sonagchi, Calcutta and the relationships they developed with children of prostitutes who work the city's notorious red light district.

Admist the apparent growing prosperity of India, there is a dark underbelly of poverty of another side of the nation that is little known. This film is a chronicle of filmmakers Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman's efforts to show that world of Calcutta's red light district. To do that, they inspired a special group of children of the prostitutes of the area to photograph the most reluctant subjects of it. As the kids excel in their new found art, the filmmakers struggle to help them have a chance for a better life away from the miserable poverty that threatens to crush their dreams. 85 min. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)

Directors: Zana Briski, Ross Kauffman
Writers: Zana Briski, Ross Kauffman

IMDB 7.8

Trailer

Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (1992)

This film showcases Noam Chomsky, one of America's leading linguists and political dissidents. It also illustrates his message of how government and big media businesses cooperate to produce an effective propaganda machine in order to manipulate the opinions of the United States populous. The key example for this analysis is the simultaneous events of the massive coverage of the communist atrocities of Khmer Rouge regime of Cambodia and the suppression of news of the US supported Indonesian invasion and subjugation of East Timor. 167 min. Written by Kenneth Chisholm <kchishol@execulink.com>

Directors: Mark Achbar, Peter Wintonick

IMDB 8.2

Trailer

The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream (2004)

Since World War II North Americans have invested much of their newfound wealth in suburbia. It has promised a sense of space, affordability, family life and upward mobility. As the population of suburban sprawl has exploded in the past 50 years, so too the suburban way of life has become embedded in the American consciousness. Suburbia, and all it promises, has become the American Dream. But as we enter the 21st century, serious questions are beginning to emerge about the sustainability of this way of life. With brutal honesty and a touch of irony, The End of Suburbia explores the American Way of Life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. World Oil Peak and the inevitable decline of fossil fuels are upon us now, some scientists and policy makers argue in this documentary. The consequences of inaction in the face of this global crisis are enormous. What does Oil Peak mean for North America? As energy prices skyrocket in the coming years, how will the populations of suburbia react to the collapse of their dream? Are today's suburbs destined to become the slums of tomorrow? And what can be done NOW, individually and collectively, to avoid The End of Suburbia? 78 min.- Written by sciphex

Director: Gregory Greene
Writer: Gregory Greene

IMDB 7.7

Trailer

Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Working with Time (2001)

This astonishing documentary from Thomas Riedelsheimer shadows renowned sculptor Andy Goldsworthy as he creates works of art with ice, driftwood, leaves, stone, dirt and snow in open fields, beaches, rivers, creeks and forests. With each new creation, he carefully studies the energetic flow and transitory nature of his work. The film won the Golden Gate Award Grand Prize for Best Documentary at the 2003 San Francisco International Film Festival.

Director: Thomas Riedelsheimer

IMDB 8.1

Trailer

The Who: The Kids Are Alright (1979)

Through rare concert performance footage and interviews, this 1979 documentary offers an in-depth look at the wildly successful career of classic rock group The Who -- from their initial formation to their first major hit. Highlights include footage from many of the band's early performances, capturing their zaniness and outrageous antics, plus an interview with drummer Keith Moon and footage from his last performance just prior to his death. 109 min.

Director: Jeff Stein
Writer: Jeff Stein

IMDB 8.1

Trailer

From the Earth to the Moon (1998)

This 12-hour HBO miniseries created by Tom Hanks garnered 17 Emmy nominations and captivated audiences. From the early stages of the space program and Kennedy's 1961 call to reach the moon within a decade to the successes and heartbreaking failures of the race for space, the dream was kept alive by dedicated, daring professionals and a nation intent on reaching for -- and landing amid -- the stars, all while the world faced the Vietnam War. 639 min.

IMDB 9.0

Trailer

Man Ray: Prophet of the Avant-Garde (1999)

Produced as part of the PBS "American Masters" series, this documentary covers the life and artwork of painter, photographer, sculptor and filmmaker Man Ray (born in Brooklyn as Emanuel Radnitsky). The profile includes a look at Man Ray's disassociation with the New York art world in the early 1900s, his name change and his move to Paris, where he was embraced by the Dadaists. The program also includes a look at his Paris studio and home. 60 min.

Director: Mel Stuart

Writer: Neil Baldwin

Narrator: Stockard Channing

IMDB 7.6

Trailer

Winged Migration (2001)

This documentary follows several species of migratory birds over a four year filming period. These birds travel several hundreds if not thousands of miles toward the equator in the autumn, and make the return journey to their higher latitude summer homes in the spring, always taking the same route, using the natural compasses of the universe, the stars, to find their way. Some species, like the arctic tern, even fly from pole to pole. These long and often torturous treks are a matter of survival, to live in a hospitable climate and find sources of food. With the exception of migratory penguins, travel over oceans is especially difficult as the birds have little refuge unless there is something floating on the water, such as a ship, on which to land. Otherwise they must continue flying until they reach land. Some will not survive the migration due to predators, including man, illness or injury. 89 min. Written by Huggo

Directors: Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud, Michel Debats
Writers: Jean Dorst, Stéphane Durand, Guy Jarry, Valentine Marvel, Jacques Perrin, Francis Roux

IMDB 8.0

Trailer